Requires that a contract between an insurer and a hospital shall include a provision that provides for medical records requested by the insurer or its utilization review agent to be made available electronically by the hospital; limits the use of disclosed records.
Impact
The legislation is expected to have significant implications for state laws regulating health records and the insurance industry. By ensuring that electronic medical records are efficiently shared between hospitals and insurers, the bill will promote faster decisions regarding claims and could enhance patient care outcomes. However, the requirement for direct access raises concerns about data security and patient privacy. Stakeholders will need to ensure that the electronic sharing mechanisms safeguard sensitive health information while complying with existing privacy laws.
Summary
Bill A07981 aims to amend both the insurance law and public health law in New York State by mandating that contracts between insurers and hospitals include provisions for the electronic sharing of medical records. Specifically, hospitals will be required to provide insurers or their utilization review agents direct electronic access to requested medical records, which facilitates the process of utilization review. This step is seen as a modernization effort in the health records management sector, aiming to improve efficiency and patient care through more streamlined processes in verifying the medical necessity of care.
Contention
There are various points of contention surrounding this bill. Critics have expressed concerns regarding potential misuse of the medical records shared electronically, fearing that this could lead to breaches of patient confidentiality. Additionally, there are apprehensions that the requirements may impose a burden on smaller healthcare providers who may struggle with the technological demands of compliance. Supporters argue that the bill is crucial for streamlining processes and improving healthcare deliveries, believing that it ultimately benefits patients by enhancing the reliability and speed of medical claims processing.
Same As
Requires that a contract between an insurer and a hospital shall include a provision that provides for medical records requested by the insurer or its utilization review agent to be made available electronically by the hospital; limits the use of disclosed records.
Relates to the availability of agency records prior to or at an open meeting; removes the "to the extent practicable at least twenty-four hours" limitation from the requirement that agencies and departments shall make records available.
Relates to parametric insurance; requires insurers providing parametric insurance include certain disclosures in the application for the policy; makes related provisions.
Relates to parametric insurance; requires insurers providing parametric insurance include certain disclosures in the application for the policy; makes related provisions.
Establishes integrated pest management requirements for hospitals including a requirement that all hospitals have pest management plans for pest control activities; makes related provisions.
Provides that insurance policies which provide hospital, surgical or medical coverage shall provide coverage for hysterectomies; provides that such coverage shall include inpatient hospital coverage for a minimum period of seventy-two hours after surgery.
Requires that insurers providing no-fault coverage reimburse other insurers for the payment of claims to providers which should have been covered by a no-fault insurer.
Requires that insurers providing no-fault coverage reimburse other insurers for the payment of claims to providers which should have been covered by a no-fault insurer.
Relates to provisions for wellness programs under life and accident and health insurance policies; provides that a "wellness program" shall not include limited benefits health insurance; authorizes an insurer to contract with a third party for purposes of administering or operating a wellness program on such insurer's behalf.